Shocking Juwan Howard Postgame Comments: He's Lost the Locker Room
Shocking postgame comments from Juwan after the game today, courtesy of Anthony Broome. I don't know how you can throw your players under the bus like this, especially given that this is the roster you've assembled. Starting to feel like the point of no return...
February 3rd, 2024 at 7:50 PM ^
Fire this clown.
February 3rd, 2024 at 8:05 PM ^
He is a fucking clown, talk about being in denial.
Why would any of the players feel loyalty to him?
Fire him now so that the players who are eligible to come back will see that there is hope in the future.
IDGAF about the recruiting class, it won't matter if the coach is clueless.
February 3rd, 2024 at 9:30 PM ^
"maybe I should go to my walk ons. I know they care."
Says everything you need to know. He doesn't think any of his scholarship players even care! If I were them, I wouldn't care at this point either if that's how he talks about them to the press.
February 4th, 2024 at 9:26 AM ^
Counter point-if the players are not giving effort, they should be called out. That game was brutal, as most have been. While I agree Juwan's time should over and we need a new coach ASAP, players owe themselves and the fans effort-they are not giving it.
February 4th, 2024 at 11:58 AM ^
They can be called out, but it should probably be behind closed doors. Not sure what good it does to make it public.
Harbaugh always understood to stay positive about his players in front of the press.
February 4th, 2024 at 2:33 PM ^
Actual coaching would be to play the walk-ons rather than talking about how and why he should. He could send a message to his players without having to use the media and fans as a go-between.
February 4th, 2024 at 12:10 PM ^
Here's the thing though, maybe they DON'T care and if that's the case, then what's he supposed to do, just keeps aw shucksing it?
Feels kind of like a no win, but I'm also not part of the camp that says the players are never the problem.
February 4th, 2024 at 12:20 PM ^
Well, he brought those players in and has coached them "up" to this, so it ultimately falls on his shoulders.
Say whatever you have to say to them in practice, but don't throw them under the bus in front of a microphone.
February 4th, 2024 at 3:08 PM ^
if it's by name I agree. Criticizing the team though doesn't rise to that level IMO
February 4th, 2024 at 6:29 PM ^
He shouldn’t be coaching his kids. I suspect that (and his arrogance) are the cause of the locker room cancer.
February 4th, 2024 at 4:23 PM ^
What players do you want back again? Its a clown show roster with a clown HC.
February 3rd, 2024 at 8:48 PM ^
He doesn’t know what to do or how to change things up. Time to make a change
February 3rd, 2024 at 10:13 PM ^
Clown? That's throwing him a compliment. He's burned down everything coach Beilein built up.
February 4th, 2024 at 12:38 AM ^
I don't understand why you're getting negged. It's true - he's burned down what Beilein built. The first two years were largely Beilein's players and culture. This roster? This culture? This is entirely what he built. Did he get all they guys he wanted? Nope - portal players are a non-starter at Michigan and I will not hold Juwan responsible for that. That is a Warde issue to resolve.
But Juwann know the deal here, at least he does as of last year. Why he's in this position is his fault. Why the team roster looks like it does is his fault. Why the team plays like it does is his fault.
I love Juwann - he's one of my Fab Five hero's and will always have a warm spot in my heart. His banners should be displayed. He had better always receive a Standing O when he's spotted in the crowd. He better not ever buy a beer in Ann Arbor.
But his time as Head Coach needs to end. It just hasn't worked out - no shame in that. I know he's given everything to make it work. But you can't make comments like this about your players. The players you brought here. It's over. It has to end.
February 4th, 2024 at 5:14 AM ^
That is what pissed me off - his comments about the kids. I also looked past his temper, altercations and throwing punches but he's supposed to be an example for our kids. I'm a Michigan grad (BSME -1972) and my school comes before any individual that does not know how to represent my school. Enough already.
February 6th, 2024 at 10:26 PM ^
Thank you for fearlessly representing our esteemed alma mater when attaching excel docs in emails to your bosses. Thank you for that.
This man has done more to represent Michigan than you could ever dream to. Get over yourself.
February 4th, 2024 at 12:22 PM ^
Nope - portal players are a non-starter at Michigan
Where did Nkamhoua, Burnett, Jackson and Llewellyn come from again?
Our problem is that our roster management was so bad that even bringing in all those guys wasn't enough.
February 4th, 2024 at 6:49 PM ^
Not sure I agree entirely about the first two years being Beilein. Franz may have come because of Beilein but wasn't coached by him. Hunter, Smith and Brown were big parts of the elite 8 run, and were Juwan's guys. I don't know what's happened since, but to argue that the program ran on "Beilein autopilot" for Howard's first two years isn't my observation.
February 3rd, 2024 at 11:10 PM ^
Knock it off. He’s a Michigan legend. He’s in over his head and it’s clear he’s fucked this up, but he’s invested more time, energy, and sweat in this program than all of us combined. I get it: it sucks when our teams are this embarrassing. But show some respect and keep your comments above the belt. He’s earned that.
February 3rd, 2024 at 11:51 PM ^
Agree. Not to mention, this is *exactly* the stuff coaches say (or even do) to motivate their team.
I'm not saying it's going to work. I think he's probably done. But the commenters here rip on him now for everything he says. When we say "this team shows no commitment or energy" we're just calling it like it is. But when he says it, somehow, he's a clown? Like they wouldn't rip on him if he denied there was a problem?
As I said, I think he's probably done, but let's acknowledge that he's going to get slammed whatever he says at this point.
February 4th, 2024 at 9:20 AM ^
"The shit works. "
I didn't know Sherrone was also coaching the bball team.
February 4th, 2024 at 12:40 AM ^
Agree. I didn't get why OP is getting negged - but the clown comment was out of line. I'll agree with that.
February 4th, 2024 at 9:29 AM ^
Man if you think calling someone a clown is below the belt, I would stay away from the game threads. And if you can watch this without thinking this is a clown show, you’re watching a different game than I am.
February 4th, 2024 at 1:13 AM ^
legend > clown
you should have your internet privleges taken away
February 4th, 2024 at 9:56 AM ^
Isolate those comments, build some lynch mob language around them, and. . . summon a lynch mob! But they really don't seem so incendiary in context, as found here in Andrew Kahn's summary of the postgame presser:
https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2024/02/this-bleep-works-juwan-howard-…
When the team loses it's really not an outrage, or an insult to your ego--invested in that block M, though it may be. It's a bad team. Reserve your phony outrage for a crumbling planet. Or even better, do something about it. It's fun to pull down the high and mighty, but when all is said and done, Juwan will still have large money, have accomplished more with his years than. . . let's throw out a number. . . 95 percent of the noodles here?
February 4th, 2024 at 3:59 PM ^
Time to drop dollars in front of Penny. See if you can get the man out of Memphis.
February 3rd, 2024 at 7:51 PM ^
Can't hurt anything.
February 3rd, 2024 at 7:51 PM ^
Yes, winning without a roster constructed by you works.
February 3rd, 2024 at 10:19 PM ^
A classic case of ‘born on 3rd’
February 4th, 2024 at 10:01 AM ^
It was not just the roster. Those guys came with fundamentals and 'how to play basketball' already built in. So he was installing an approach to offense and defense that was different, but the critical foundational things were already in place. The guys already knew how to make crisp passes, take care of the ball, position themselves, select good shots, find a guy who has a better shot, when to take the shot, how to stop ball, help on defense, box out on free-throws, work together, dig in and play tough when it's needed...it's a crapload of maximum effort in practice to identify, teach, and motivate guys to learn them. Coaches work their tails off showing guys how this is done. It's all the things that go into a game that ends with fewer than 10 turnovers and a score that favors the good guys. Beilein ran himself ragged doing this and found a guy to help him (defense) when he couldn't do it himself.
That is what was already in place when he got here.
So what to do? Sort of like building up a football team from the lines out, if I were in Juwan's shoes, I'd try to find some basic things the team can hang it's hat on. Maybe start drilling the daylights out of them on ball security, moving on defense, and positioning for rebounds. Get some basics down with objective goals you can quantify that you can tell the team you're proud of them for and that they can be proud of. "We out rebounded them," "We only had 8 turnovers," "We only let that guard blow-by once"- "We closed out really great on threes" stuff like that.
February 4th, 2024 at 12:08 PM ^
I agree with you but the culture has already been built - it’s too late.
February 3rd, 2024 at 7:52 PM ^
I’m sure no one here is surprised by any of this.
February 3rd, 2024 at 9:40 PM ^
Feels like he’s mailing it in as far as his effort/passion are concerned.
February 3rd, 2024 at 10:31 PM ^
If Juwan Howard wasn’t part of a legacy era of Michigan athletics such as the Fab Five, he would’ve been let go a long time ago. I’m not saying he’s a bad coach or didn’t deserve a chance but all coaches/teams follow a trajectory to get better, stay the same, or get worse. You can guess where he falls on that spectrum.
Granted he may not of gotten the job in the first place without his Michigan connections but if people are still judged by the success and character they produce while employed, I have to think he’s on borrowed time.
February 3rd, 2024 at 7:52 PM ^
It's time for him to go. I wanted him to make it to the end of the year...but that is looking worse by the day.
February 3rd, 2024 at 8:05 PM ^
Yeah, I was thinking the team would limp to a ~ 12-18 record with Juwan, and no one on that coaching bench would make it any better.
But now it looks like the team is going to lose out. I still wouldn't do it midseason, but I don't have a rebuttal to the "What harm would it do?" question.
February 3rd, 2024 at 8:34 PM ^
It honestly benefits them more now if they do fire him mid season. Fire him, PM to interim head coach, start the search now and start putting our feelers asap
then again Warde is a moron
February 4th, 2024 at 8:56 AM ^
Doesn't Beilein still live in Ann Arbor? Have him coach out the rest of the season while the job search is underway.
February 4th, 2024 at 2:03 PM ^
Why would Beilein want this mess? Let the man enjoy his semi-retirement as a BTN analyst.
February 4th, 2024 at 2:12 PM ^
Plain and simple - just a very bad hire and we're paying for it now
February 3rd, 2024 at 7:53 PM ^
Fire Howard and go get Shaka, the coach we should've hired the first time around (and I'm on record as saying as much).
February 3rd, 2024 at 8:12 PM ^
You could be on record for saying to hire a lot of coaches that would seem better than the current situation. We canceled our cable/streaming to save some money. Past years I would be so sad because I love Michigan basketball, but I can’t stay awake late enough to see the conclusion of most games and this year I already know the ending so it doesn’t even matter.
February 3rd, 2024 at 8:26 PM ^
Be careful - I said the same person after JB left and JH was hired and people went nuts I had the nerve to question his hire after a week.
February 3rd, 2024 at 8:39 PM ^
Yeah let’s hired the guy who failed miserably at his prior big time job.
February 3rd, 2024 at 9:11 PM ^
I think you’re thinking of another coach named Shaka Smart. The one I’m thinking of is a pretty decorated and highly reputable college coach and has been for awhile….key word….college.
February 3rd, 2024 at 9:51 PM ^
Pretty decorated? Guy had one good year at VCU and a whole lot of nothing in the 10+ years since.
Not only has he not made it past the opening weekend in the tournament since that one good year, but he has one tournament win total in the past 10 years
February 3rd, 2024 at 10:20 PM ^
Last time I checked, Texas, Marquette and VCU are not high level hoops programs with better resources than Michigan.
And my question to you is....then why did we hire Juwan Howard back then? At that moment in time and with the program at an all-time high, he had done none of that.
February 4th, 2024 at 1:49 AM ^
You don’t know college basketball if you think Marquette and Texas are not good programs. They are not blue blood’s, but they are good programs.
February 4th, 2024 at 1:59 AM ^
Um, last I checked usually you want a coach that proves himself at a smaller school before you go hiring them at a bigger one. But you could make the claim that Texas and Marquette are not much below Michigan in terms of success and well...he hasnt had much success since the VCU Final Four run.
February 3rd, 2024 at 10:25 PM ^
That would be Shaka when the walls fell